Hello my friends! I am once again writing to you from the Supervisors Office on the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests and Pawnee National Grassland; however, this is the final time I will be writing as a staff member of the Lands program, but fortunately not the last time I write as a proud member of the Hispanic Access Foundation!
The Hispanic Access Foundation is not only committed to creating opportunities for their RA’s to develop professionally, but also committed to fostering opportunities for gaining experience in the positions and fields that we as individuals are passionate about. My passion lies in the conservation and management of Wildlife species, so beginning March 18th, I will be starting a new Resource Assistant internship in the Wildlife program! I’m elated to be able to be a part of this program and I’m just as excited to share what new experiences will come, with all of you! In previous posts I’ve provided some insight as to what I will be working on in the new position with the wildlife program, but before I move on to my next assignment, I wanted to take this opportunity to reflect on my time with the Lands program as well as my first installment with the Hispanic Access Foundation.
Thinking back to the morning of September 20th, my first day as an RA, I was so nervous walking into the Supervisor’s Office and was sort of feeling like a fraud. Here I was, two months out of college and starting a position in the federal government. I remember thinking “I don’t deserve to be here. There were so many other kids in my classes with better grades, I can’t even remember anything I learned. Some one else deserves this more than me”. These were tough thoughts to battle with as I entered the unknown of this new position, but this sense of trepidation wasn’t unique to me. These feelings of uncertainty visit everyone of us who is brave enough to put themselves out there and make themselves vulnerable to new experiences. We all experience self-doubt in one way or another, it’s a natural part of growing that we have little control over, however we do have control over our response to it.
In my time with the Lands department, Ive learned more about the forest service and the lands program than can be summarized in this blog post, but just as important, ive learned so much about myself. I learned that our fear of defining our faults, can hold us back from recognizing our strengths. I’ve learned to seek out these new experiences that scare me and learned to recognize the feeling of apprehension as an indicator of a new opportunity to grow. Above all this, I’ve learned that i am capable of so much more than I ever gave myself credit for.
As I sit here six monthes later reflecting on all ive learned, I am so thankful that I didnt give into those voices that told me i wasnt good enough. So for any of you out there reading this that share a passion for our environment and creating opportunities for inclusion but feel you’re not good enough or smart enough or experienced enough to apply for an internship with the Hispanic Access Foundation I want you to remember that you don’t have to be the best at something, to be the best version of yourself, and that there is a place for you here. There’s a whole ‘nother world waiting for you on the other side of your fear, and that you are capable of so much more than you know.
Agency: U.S Forest Service
Program: Resource Assistant Program (RAP)
Location: Rocky Mountain Regional Office